Mike Rudd presents ‘Spectrum Plus’ w/ special guest Brenden Mason

SPECTRUM *plus is the latest plaything of Spectrum’s Mike Rudd, that veritable and ever-optimistic chap from the ‘70s, who, apart from founding Spectrum, is most famous for the opening few bars of harp (harmonica) that anybody who was around at the time, or from that time since for that matter, instantly recognises as the opening of the ‘money’ song, Someday I’ll Have Money, also occasionally known by its actual title, I’ll Be Gone, a classic national No. 1 hit way back when.

At about the same time as Spectrum was being famous, another Melbourne band was carving out its own idiosyncratic niche in Oz rock history. Madder Lake and Spectrum’s paths rarely collided but both bands were following their own stars and mutual respect was mixed in with the inevitable youthful competitiveness.

Brenden Mason was (and still is) the Madders’ guitarist and for many decades Mike has trusted Brenden’s pre-eminent ability as a guitar whisperer to maintain his small but hard-worked cache of stage and studio guitars, with the result that the two have enjoyed a warm friendship without either imagining there could be a musical union in the offing.

That moment has arrived! Spectrumites will know that Rudd has recently been dabbling with the Spectrum to Ariel retrospective concerts that feature former Arielist Glyn Mason and which have been an outstanding success.

Now another Mason enters the picture to join Spectrum in SPECTRUM*plus, naturally different again, but the prospect of adding Madder Lake’s guitar architect to the mix has Mike Rudd salivating uncontrollably. The palette will broaden too, with songs from The Heaters as well as Spectrum, Murtceps and Ariel. There might even be some room for a Madder Lake song…

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